17 July 2008

Immigrants infected with HIV may no longer be banned from living in the U.S. for the first time in more than 20 years.

A $50 billion Senate bill (S.2731) intended to combat AIDS in Africa and other impoverished areas may effectively repeal a 1987 ban prohibiting travel and immigration for people infected with HIV. The U.S. is one of several countries to have such a rule, including Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Russia, the Associated Press reports.

Supporters of the proposal say the policy is dated and must be eliminated. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, said even China has lifted its ban against travelers with the disease.

"[It's] time to move beyond an antiquated, knee-jerk reaction" to HIV-infected people, Kerry said. "There's no excuse for a law that stigmatizes a particular disease."

He said even immigrants with avian flu or Ebola virus have a smoother path to citizenship than those with HIV.

Kerry and Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., have stepped up efforts to revoke the ban and have piggybacked their plan to AIDS legislation expected to pass as early as this week.

According to the AP, while HIV-infected foreigners, students and tourists are allowed to apply for permission to visit for a short period of time, such waivers are difficult to come by, and permanent residency can be nearly impossible to for them to acquire. ~ read more